Word on the Old School curb is that Simon Cowell, co-creator of the X Factor contest show, has a serious problem with his former American Idol contestant, Jennifer Hudson. It’s also got a lil’ something to do with the legendary singer, Jennifer Holliday too.
As many of y’all know, X Factor is currently a very popular show in the U.K. and so is it’s rival, The Voice. Now here’s the thing, Jennifer Hudson is a judge on the show, which airs on ITV (a popular UK network) and also is same network home as Cowell’s X Factor.
It’s being reported that Simon is reportedly a lil’ salty over the fact that Jennifer became popular off of his show, but is instead a judge on the rival show.
According to The Sun, Simon has no problem voicing his disdain for JHud in public. That’s all fine and dandy, but what in the world does Jennifer Holliday have to do with Simon’s and JHud’s alleged beef? Well, many of us recall how Jennifer Hudson showed up and showed OUT on the Dreamgirls musical movie remake, when she performed Holliday’s classic, “And I Am Telling You (I’m Not Going)” in 2006. After that, Hudson’s name damn near became just as synonymous with the 1982 hit as the originator, Holliday, is.
Also according to The Sun, when one of X Factor’s recent contestants started singing “And I Am Telling You,” Simon Cowell immediately shut that down because he allegedly wants NO connection to Jennifer Hudson’s presence on his show. He’s also reportedly banned all contestants from singing “And I Am Telling You” in the future. Dayumn! See what else was reported below:
Via The Sun- At an X Factor audition in Manchester this week he stopped one girl part way through her version of it, telling her it was “too heavily linked to another show”. A source said: “X Factor and The Voice may both be on ITV now, but Simon still wants to be the best show and there’s real rivalry there.
“This one girl tried to sing And I Am Telling You, which Jennifer sang in Dreamgirls, but Simon stopped her immediately and told her to sing something else. “He did let her try another three tracks so it’s not like he shot her down there and then.”
JHud hasn’t publicly responded to the reports of Simon’s shading her yet, but if she does, we’ll be right here with our popcorn and laptops ready to watch it and report.